Thick as Thieves

A Strange Hellion

The night was quiet and heavy with fog, a thick, blanketing fog that dulled the senses and kept people inside for fear of meeting trouble. No animals could be heard scurrying through the forest, and there was no moon out to provide light. It would be all too easy to get lost; there was no way of seeing anything and no one to hear calls for help.

All of which, of course, suited Fuji just fine.

With a calm smile on his face, the teenager twirled a blade of grass between his fingers, liking the cool tickling sensation. While most of their merry little band loathed the night watch, it was actually Fuji's favorite task. Why, he didn't know. He was able to deal with the lack of sleep much better than most, and he liked the quiet solitude. It also gave him time to plan.

Tomorrow, the eight of them would be heading to town, the same small town that they were camped near, to pick up supplies. Although in this case, "pick up supplies" entailed rob as many people as humanly possible in as many ways as humanly possible without being caught and executed. Oh, what fun.

Laughing to himself, the young brunet looked up at where the sky would be were it not blocked by foliage. While Tezuka, the oldest, sternest, and by far most capable of the group was the unchallenged leader, when it came to plotting and scheming, everyone deferred to Fuji.

It's just a small town; doesn't have any important people living nearby and a pitiful amount of soldiers to keep order. We won't be pulling off any major heists this time, unfortunately.

He would probably put Oishi and Kikumaru in charge of pick pocketing. Their bouncy redhead would be a distraction, stunning people with his flips and twists while Oishi supervised some of their less subtle in the delicate art of snatching purses. Kawamura and Momo both needed some work in that department.

Then he would put Kaidoh and Inui together, because a previous exploit of theirs – one so flawless that the stolen pieces of jewelry probably hadn't even been missed yet – a few towns back had proven that the two worked together like clockwork.

Finally, their most skilled pair of Fuji and Tezuka would go hit any major targets and scope out anywhere that would need more of their group to handle at night. Then, they would move out without a trace, probably leaving the town several gold ingots' worth poorer. Not that they were completely amoral about it, though. They had long since learned how to spot who could live without a few extra coins here and there, and those who didn't deserve those few extra coins in the first place. No, they were not amoral rogues. They were ethically flexible opportunists.

This was possibly why they hadn't been labeled as a serious threat yet. Under ordinary circumstances, a band of young, talented thieves that had been gallivanting around the kingdom for almost three years now would have been hunted down swiftly and imprisoned or executed with extreme prejudice. Their benevolent (and not extremely proactive) king, however, seemed to consider them as a sort of balance-keeping force. As such, he didn't actively seek them out. They never did any real harm to the land's economy, if anything they helped some poorer areas by bringing questionable amounts of income to struggling businesses. True, they had managed to anger a few people in high places over the years, but they were contracted enough by people in equally high places to not suffer for it.

Contract jobs really are the best, thought the bandit. We get to sneak into supposedly well-defended places, steal something for a noble's petty reasons and maybe take something for ourselves, and we get paid to do it to. Not to mention each one gives us leverage over courtiers.

So no, the government would never endorse them, but they were the closest a thieves' guild could possibly get to it. Life was good. They travelled to faraway lands, met new people, lived in the moment, had fun, and were only chased by imperial soldiers if they got a little too rowdy.

Fuji sighed contentedly. Contemplating on his life, he found that he really was happy. He liked this life of trustworthy companions that would level towns to help each other and living for the exhilaration of thievery. It was certainly better than how he had lived before Tezuka had picked him up.

His keen ears suddenly picked up the faint but distinct sound of a snapping twig coming from behind him. It seemed that the time for contemplating his life choices was over.

The brunet whirled to his feet, drawing twin daggers from his boots as he spun to face the source of the noise. His eyes opened, the bright blue orbs piercing the night. He saw nothing. Taking measured, silent steps, he stepped back towards the fire at the center of their camp that had long since burned down to embers.

As Fuji looked around the camp, his sharp eyes found nothing but the distorted shadows where his comrades' camouflaged tents lay.

There's no way I could've misheard, right? I never make mistakes about this sort of thing. Despite his doubts, though, it seemed that there really was no one around. He stood perfectly still for a few more seconds, waiting for a noise. None came forth.

Just as he was lowering his daggers and relaxing his stance, a patch of light in the corner of his vision caught his attention. A pale square of what seemed to be parchment lay on the other side of the campfire. Fuji took one quick glance around before walking over to it.

Upon closer inspection, he found that it was in fact a sheet of parchment, pinned to the ground by a stick that was broken on one end. The other end sat on one corner of the parchment. An empty tarp that had once held some plundered valuables lay crumpled on the ground next to the two objects.

"Thought I'd let you know," Fuji murmured, reading the short sentence written in black ink aloud. He blinked and then sighed, not knowing whether he should be laughing or punching something.

Resignedly, he took a last look around the forest. "I don't suppose you're still here…" he said to the darkness. As he expected, there was no response. "Well in that case, it's time to put my life on the line."

He walked over to where he had seen Tezuka settle down for the night. "Tezuka?" he said quietly, knowing it would be enough to awake his early bird of a leader. Sure enough, the answer came almost as soon as the name had left his lips.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, I hate to tell you this but…"

"But, what?" The older teen's voice was showing hints of irritation.

Fuji quickly decided on what to say, and a smile crept onto his lips again. "I do believe we've been robbed."

"Still, doesn't it strike anyone else as odd that Fuji – Fuji, of all people – didn't catch on to someone being right there?" Oishi's eyebrows were creased and his hands were fluttering by his sides, a sure sign that he was truly worried. Part of the concern could also be from the numerous people walking by them. They had just reached the town a few minutes ago, and were now having a discussion about the events of last night as they walked.

The carefree looking redhead by Oishi's side shrugged and laughed. "It is weird, nya, but everyone messes up once in a while. Even Fujiko," he said, poking the slightly shorter brunet by his side.

"While I thank you for not blaming me, I doubt that is the case," replied Fuji, not looking phased even though they were discussing a failure of his. "I actually think it is more likely that our little visitor was just that good."

"But no one's that good. I mean, the only person who can get by you is Tezuka!" exclaimed Momo, one of their younger, newer members.

"Well then I suppose this person was as good as Tezuka, ne?" Fuji said with a teasing smile before speeding up his pace to catch up with said teenager. "Remember, Momo, today you're with Kikumaru, Oishi, and Kawamura. I'd start shopping in the town square."

The black-haired thief groaned, knowing what Fuji's version of shopping was, and that he wasn't particularly good at it. Nevertheless, he let himself fall behind with the rest of his group for the day.

"Inui, you'll be with-"

"Kaidoh, I presume?" Inui interrupted, snapping shut a small leather-bound book that he took with him everywhere.

Masking his twinge of irritation at being cut off, Fuji smiled and nodded. "Astute as always."

Finally, as Kaidoh and Inui peeled off down a side street and out of view, Fuji darted through the crowd to walk next to his friend. "Most of the outlying buildings are wood and thatch- not really worth inspecting. The buildings in the center and north of town look like the wealthier quarter, mostly brick and stone," he murmured, trusting the noise of the crowd to mask his voice to everyone but Tezuka.

"Good. We'll leave the government buildings until later and visit the merchant's quarter now. We can check for signs on our way," replied the stoic teen, not breaking stride or looking at his feminine companion.

"Check for signs as in…" Fuji trailed off pointedly. The only reply he received was a quick nod. That confirmed his suspicions then. Whenever Tezuka said, "check for signs," it was the equivalent of Fuji saying that they would be going shopping: innocent enough on the surface, but having a second meaning right behind it. It meant Tezuka wanted to check whether they had done anything that warranted any of their members getting a bounty. So far, they hadn't wreaked enough havoc to get on the map, but they still didn't really know where the between irritation and threat was in the king's mind. "We should be clear. We've been keeping things low-key after the incident at that duchy last month…" he said contemplatively.

Tezuka sighed and an almost pained look crossed his face. That had been a fiasco. What should have been a simple burglary had escalated into a death-defying run for their lives, all because Inui hadn't read a label on one of his explosive concoctions right. Thus the very thick pieces of glass that now obscured the tall teenager's eyes. No one really knew how Inui had made his "glasses" but they knew that they improved vision. Tezuka had received a smaller pair as well because Inui had "observed the slight strain you place on your eyes while looking into the distance."

"Did it occur to you that the incident could be what sets King Atobe off?" inquired Tezuka.

"Hm… You certainly have a point there. I know we've been dancing the line for a while now… perhaps we should go back home and hide out?" suggested Fuji with a look of slight distaste.

Tezuka's features darkened. "We're not that desperate yet. We're here." Just as the second clipped sentence left his lips, the pair arrived at a message board that had been erected on a corner near a small central area with a well and a few shops.

"I don't see anything new…"

"Wait," said the taller brunet. "There is one."

Fuji let his gaze follow Tezuka's to a newer looking poster that overlapped a few old ones. More importantly, he followed it to the large number of zero's that he saw. The yellowed wanted poster had no picture, but read, "WANTED: 'THE PRINCE.' Real name: Unknown. Age: Unknown. Appearance: Unknown. Assumed to be male. Criminal is suspected to have committed several counts of grand larceny and egregious slights against the crown. Classified as highly dangerous. Bounty: 20,000,000 drachmae. Note: No reward shall be given if the target is not captured alive."

The two looked in stunned silence for a moment. "That… that is certainly irregular…" It was a testament to how shocked the genius was that he had stuttered.

"Twenty million?" said Tezuka, letting some emotion slip into his voice for once. "That's unheard of. And that they want him alive is even stranger."

Fuji was getting over his initial surprise, and the cogs were turning in his mind. "Well if someone is looking for them that desperately, this "Prince" is sure to be someone interesting. And did you notice it only said they're suspected of their crimes? The person is good enough not to be caught."

Tezuka nodded. "There will likely be more to come of this."

"Probably. But that's not the issue at hand, is it? Prince or no Prince, none of us are up there yet."

Hesitantly looking away from the billboard, the older teen nodded. "You're right. Now, let's proceed with caution."

They pushed thoughts of this mysterious "Prince" from their minds and headed towards the northern quarter. There was work to be done.

Kikumaru was reveling in the cheers of the crowd, flying through the air with practiced ease and grace. He liked his job on missions like this. Real robberies meant gymnastics for him, using his unnatural flexibility and acrobatics to do what others on his team couldn't. That was all fine and good, but he liked a little more flair when he could get it. So when he wasn't dangling upside down from a windowsill in the dead of night, he was tumbling around in the streets to amaze all the townspeople. The applause was rewarding, they might earn a little honest money from generous onlookers, and it made Oishi's life easier.

In short, Eiji Kikumaru loved his job.

Right in the middle of a handspring, he saw the unmistakable black dome that was his partner's head. His eyes stayed trained on it as he relied on his instincts for the landing, and just as he touched his feet to the ground again, he saw Oishi nod at him.

The redhead straightened smoothly and swept into a bow as if it had been a part of his routine all along. A rowdy cheer went up from the crowd and his sharp eyes caught the glint of coins sailing through the air to land at his feet. Kikumaru laughed and waved, slowly spinning in place to see the whole crowd, throwing in a few more bows. Thank you everyone, and I'm very sorry that I just distracted you so my cohorts could rob you. Got to make a living here!

He swept up a good portion of the coins on the ground, but still left about a quarter of them for people to pick up. It wasn't as if he needed them, after all.

Then, using the skill he'd originally picked up from Fuji, Kikumaru slid back into the crowd and disappeared. He slipped into the nearest alleyway where he would be meeting up with Oishi and the others.

Upon entering the dim space, he bolted forward until almost all traces of light from the broad main street were gone. Looking back just to double-check that he was in the clear, though, he stumbled over something. As he began to fall headfirst, Kikumaru shifted his weight and smoothly flipped over in a one-handed handspring, landing on his feet.

"What?" he said to the open air, looking for what had tripped him. His amethyst eyes widened as they adjusted to the darkness and looked around the alley. In several yards in front of him lay a more spacious gap between buildings, filled with what appeared to be bundles of rags and piles of garbage. Closer scrutiny told him that they were actually the ragged forms of beggars and their minimal possessions.

This town wasn't looking as cheerful and prosperous as it had a few minutes ago.

Finally, Kikumaru looked to the ground a few feet behind him, not entirely sure he wanted to see what he had stumbled on. Sticking into the middle of the alley was a short, thin leg covered by tight black wrappings and black leather boots. Only half of its partner could be seen from his angle, as it was drawn up to its owner's body.

The young acrobat looked closely at the small form sitting on the street before him. He couldn't see much, only a tuft of dark hair sticking out of a long greenish gray hood and the small, black-clad legs that extended into the street. All the same, the person on the ground was undeniably tiny, and Kikumaru was no giant himself.

"What's a kid doing here?" he asked incredulously, not remembering that he wasn't alone.

A gruff, slurred voice came from the small camp of beggars. "That ain't no kid, boy. He's scum," said the faceless voice, followed by the sound of someone spitting.

"Scum?" said Kikumaru tentatively. He hadn't the slightest idea what the voice had meant saying that the person wasn't a kid. He personally had never seen anyone that small that wasn't a child.

"Elf, that one. More 'n more keep coming down here. They should just stay in their forest, they should. All go back where they belong…" the voice trailed off, soon followed by raucous snoring. No doubt the man who had been speaking was drunk.

But did that automatically make his accusations false? Everyone in the kingdom knew about the recent stirrings in their northern neighbors. Usually, elves and humans stayed out of each other's way. They could even cooperate now and then, when the need arose. As of late, however, there had been rumors of turmoil in the elven nation Alyadea. Whispers of the fair folk turning up more and more amongst humans ran through every town. Was this proof, then?

Kikumaru was snapped out of his reverie by a faraway voice calling his name. The redhead bit his lip. Slowly, he began to turn in the direction that the call had come from, but his eyes never left the small figure on the ground. I can't just leave him here, right? That guy was drunk, so he could be a kid. It's not like he really is an elf… And so what if he is? That doesn't make him bad. And elf or not, someone that small can't be very old! But he could be dangerous. This isn't the kind of place that nice people hang around in… I don't know what to do.

Another call, sounding closer this time, made the decision for him. Kikumaru flinched and looked one last time at the potential elf. I'm really sorry, whoever you are, and I'll come back if I can, promise!

With that, he spun on his heel and dashed to meet his group, forcing thoughts of child-elves and drunken vagrants from his mind.

After rounding several corners without any trouble, Kikumaru burst into a slightly better lit square that he knew was on the east side of town. He and Oishi had picked the place earlier as their rendezvous point for its central yet relatively deserted location.

"Oishi?" he said, once again feeling like he was speaking to the air.

A moment after the name had stopped echoing through the small courtyard the team's doctor and unofficial mother stepped out from another alley, Kawamura and Momo in tow. There was a look of profound relief on his face, and Kikumaru could see his shoulders slumping and relaxing.

"There you are," said the black-haired teen with a grin. "We were getting worried about you. What took so long?"

The redhead laughed and scratched the back of his head. "Took a wrong turn and got held up," he replied with a wave of the hand. As much as he trusted Oishi, he just didn't feel comfortable relaying what had happened.

"Ah… The older ones are always so hopeless," teased Momo in a singsong voice, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Kikumaru just laughed again and moved the conversation along. "So, do you know where and when we're supposed to meet up with the others? I didn't hear Fujiko, nya…" he said sheepishly.

Oishi thought for a moment. "Well, Kaidoh and Inui probably won't be done for a couple hours at best, and there's never any way to tell how long the other two will be. The meeting point is always the town square, though."

"Great! Let's go!" yelled the two louder members of their group in unison.

Momo suddenly looked as if something had dawned on him. "Wait. Where's the town square?"

Oishi gave his two goofy friends a long-suffering stare. "How have you two even survived this long?"

"It's two streets north of where we were performing last," answered Kawamura, giving Oishi a pat on the shoulder and laughing kindly at the other two, who looked ready to bolt now that they knew where they were going. "Shall we?"

"Yes! Let's get something to eat, too! That much performing on such a hot day wears me out," huffed Kikumaru as he bounced with far too much energy for his supposed exhaustion.

With lighthearted grins all around, the four set off for the middle of town. Not once more did Kikumaru think of beggar children and encroaching elves. His mind was well occupied, looking around with the same childish delight he showed in every new town they visited. People were everywhere, laughing, talking, bargaining, and hustling around all over the streets. The happy sight was almost enough to make him want to leave his current lifestyle and settle down. Almost.

The town square was a large, open area centered about a bubbling fountain and lined with shops and vending stalls. It was approaching the hottest part of the day, and children could be seen splashing around in the fountain while their harried parents tried to keep an eye on them while still getting their business done. A few groups of teenagers were standing around or sitting on the edge of the fountain, chatting and having fun.

Kikumaru drank it all in, smiling with closed eyes and tilting his face to the sun. "We should come back here. I like this town." He spun around with his arms out, basking in the moment.

The energetic teen's companions gave him several amused looks, laughing at his childish behavior, but they all understood the feeling. Though it was very small, this was definitely one of the more pleasant towns they had visited. Maybe it was because the day in general was beautiful, but everything here seemed peaceful and happy.

"Maybe we will some day," said Kawamura, looking around at the scenery. "I wouldn't mind."

"I wouldn't either. I hope we get the chance to some day," commented Momo.

Oishi nodded absentmindedly. "I feel the same. Now why don't we all get something to eat while we wait?"

The reaction to the word "eat" was immediate. Momo and Kikumaru threw their hands up in the air with gigantic smiles, jumping like excited toddlers. "Yes!" they shouted.

Scattered all around the square were vendors all too eager to sell, so it took less than five minutes for them all to find food and meet back at the fountain to wait out the rest of the afternoon. The first few minutes passed in silence, then as the food began to disappear the four teens began to chat. The chatting turned into playful bickering, which then further degenerated into a vigorous splash-fight. The heat eventually wore them back down into lying in the sun and talking.

When the day had almost reached its hottest point and the square had cleared out a bit was when the boredom set in.

"Can't we do something?"

"No. Fuji told us to wait here."

"But there's no point! Why can't we just head back to camp?"

"No."

"Or we could do another show, maybe?"

"Low profile, remember?"

Kikumaru groaned and flopped back onto the rim of the fountain that he was using as a bench. This wasn't an argument that he would be winning any time soon- he could tell. Oishi too had settled back into a relaxed position, while Momo and Kawamura were looking with slightly awkward faces at their friends.

"Well, this is when Tezuka and Fuji usually show up, anyways, right?" said Momo, trying to laugh off the miffed aura Kikumaru was giving off. "And the Viper and Inui will probably be back soon, too. This place isn't exactly fortified, you know?"

"Not so loud!" Oishi waved his hands frantically, looking around to make sure no one had noticed.

"Ah. Right."

Suddenly, two brunets entered the courtyard. One was short, thin and willowy, while the other was tall and more muscular looking.

"Whoa. It's like they were drawn to the sound of someone almost screwing up," said Kikumaru, looking thoroughly amazed at the timing.

"Chances of that are approximately thirty-one percent. Tezuka is good, but your theory is highly improbable."

"Inui!" shrieked Momo and Kikumaru, rearing back in unison.

"When did you get here?" screamed the spooked redhead.

"Exactly eighty seconds ago," replied the data master promptly.

By now, Fuji and Tezuka had joined them. "Watch the voices, everyone. Wouldn't want someone to hear, would we?" As always, Fuji's light tone sounded like he was making a joke only he understood… or a threat. "Now, how did things go on your ends?" the genius asked politely.

"Pretty well, actually." Oishi stepped forward, holding the closed bag of purses and coins up for inspection. Fuji weighed it in his hand as Oishi continued. "The people here seem pretty well-off and generous, so there weren't any issues."

"Almost enough to make you feel guilty, huh?" teased the brunet, seeming pleased with the weight of the bag.

"I would just leave off the almost," said Kawamura, looking subdued.

There were a few understanding looks sent his way. "I can understand your feelings," announced Tezuka in a strong voice, "but you know why we do this, and where the money goes. I would not make any of you stay, though, should you wish to leave."

Just like that, the downcast mood was lifted, gone as quickly as it had come. Small smiles crept onto some of the teens' faces, and shoulders straightened up.

"Nuh-uh." Kikumaru was the first fully recover. "We've been through this before, and I remember deciding that we couldn't leave or you and Fujiko would get yourselves killed by the end of the day."

An amused look glinted in Tezuka's eye. "Aa. Now, how did you do?" he asked Inui and Kaidoh.

"Would you like the full report?" There was a somewhat evil glint on Inui's glasses.

"No!" yelled Momo before anyone else could react. He was actually voicing the entire group's opinion.

Inui didn't look perturbed in the slightest, and carried on without missing a beat. "Very well. In short, the homes here were not excessive on the outside, but their interiors were quite nice. I learned quite a bit about the styles of the area."

Unlike Momo, Inui had bothered to at least try masking his meaning. The message was still clear as day though: no high security, lots of nice things that are currently hidden somewhere on my person.

"Good. Fuji and I looked for anywhere that was worth going to, but we didn't find anywhere really worth it."

"And it's not as if we're in need of funds," muttered Fuji, looking over some sort of register with Inui. "Still, it does seem like a bit of a waste to visit such a nice town without at least looking at their treasury…"

"That's unnecessary. It will only draw more attention to us," stated Tezuka firmly.

"Aren't there any bigwigs here we can r- I mean, visit? Corrupt officer? Selfish mayor?" whined Momo, trying and failing to use the puppy eyes on them. Kikumaru began to nod enthusiastically.

Sighing, Tezuka let Fuji take over. When those two really wanted something, it was exhausting to deal with.

"I did hear some rumors about a rather wealthy merchant that may or may not be involved in the slave trade…" the feminine brunet murmured, his hand on his chin.

"Great! Let's have some fun and bust this guy if we can!" yelled Momo with his fists in the air.

"His home is right next to a lord's estate, however," continued Fuji. Momo deflated almost right away. "I say we make a deal. Kaidoh, Inui, Tezuka and I will get ready to leave and be waiting for you four," he said, pointing to the pick pocketing group, "to finish visiting this man's home, and to bail you out if something goes wrong. Other than that, we'll be leaving the operation to you."

Tezuka was regretting letting Fuji speak. Alas, the rest of the group had already voiced their approval, and he trusted Oishi and Kikumaru enough for them to make sure no one got killed at least, so he couldn't reasonably argue against the scheme at this point. It looked like they would be going through with it.

Everything was set. The horses were saddled and rested, and everything was packed and waiting on the edge of town. Inui was there standing guard, and making sure they were all ready to leave at the drop of a hat. Fuji had a sneaking suspicion that half of the group was secretly hoping to leave the town in a flamboyant, disruptive way, if only because they thought it would be more fun.

Oishi and Kikumaru were the team's babysitters for this job, being the most experienced. It was up to them to make sure everything went smoothly, though it probably would have with just Kawamura and Momo. Despite their relatively lower levels of capability, both were still among the kingdom's best thieves, not to mention the incredibly low levels of security in this town.

Fuji had, using his own methods, gathered information on their target, and learned that the man lived alone. Oddly enough, he had no family to speak of, and was out of the house for most of the day. The only servants on his payroll were a housekeeper and cook, both of whom left the house to run errands together in the late afternoon. Fuji honestly didn't know if doing this was just too easy to bother with or if the fact that it was so easy was the reason they were risking it in the first place.

He watched from beneath his bangs, sharp blue eyes monitoring the house carefully. After a few minutes of nothing, two middle-aged women with baskets on their arms exited and locked the door behind them (as if that would do any good).

"Wait five and go," Fuji whispered to Oishi. The teen nodded and began passing the message down.

The four that would be going had serious, focused expressions now. They had all pulled out their game faces. Fuji was counting the seconds, watching to make sure the two servants didn't come back. There wasn't a sign of them among the people walking up and down the street. When his count had reached two hundred ninety, he got ready to signal the team. They were all standing in a group near the front of the house, with several of them talking to keep up appearances. "Hidden in plain sight" is one of the most fun ways to stay out of notice- so risky, he thought, laughing.

"Clear."

As soon as the quiet word was past his lips, Kikumaru, Oishi, Kawamura, and Momo pretended to make their goodbyes and walk away. They didn't get far.

About ten feet above their heads, a window shattered and broke, the metal latticework and shards of glass practically falling on them. A black human-shaped blur burst out, legs extended and arms crossed over its head. The blur fell gracefully to the street, falling into a smooth roll to cushion the impact.

Fuji whirled with open eyes to stare at the newcomer. He could see the person clearer now, and was surprised to see a child standing before him. A loose cloak flared around the child's body, going down to the knees, and a bit of pale skin and golden eyes could be seen gleaming from beneath the hood.

"You, huh?" came a young male voice laced with mockery from beneath the hood's dark shadows. "Deliver these for me, will you?"

Just like that, the boy spun and disappeared into an alley without a trace. A sheaf of documents fluttered to the ground behind him, the last of them not settling until long after the boy was gone. Tezuka went to pick them up and started leafing through them. His eyebrows moved up the smallest bit.

"What are they?" asked Oishi, brushing glass off his shoulders and looking over.

Tezuka handed the stack of parchment to Fuji for him to look over before answering. "They're virtually all that's needed to prove the merchant's illegal dealings."

"That shrimp found them?" said Momo incredulously.

"The shrimp!" yelled Kikumaru suddenly. "I knew it! I've seen him before, and my eyes have never been wrong!"

"Seen him?" Fuji asked sharply, looking at the redhead. "What do you mean?"

"Er… in the alleys earlier today…"

"Well…" murmured the brunet. "Now that really is interesting. I think we might have a candidate for yesterday's bandit, if what just happened is any indication."

"It would be unwise to stay here any longer, in any case. We should drop the documents somewhere they will be found and leave town." Oishi's eyebrows were deeply furrowed as he spoke.

"He's right," said Kawamura with a nod.

Slowly, Fuji nodded as well. "Yes… But I can't shake the feeling that we haven't seen the end of this. I'm sure we'll meet again."

I'm probably making this into a full story, depending on the reception this gets.